Innholdsfortegnelse for August 11, 2021 i Autocar

2017 Aicon Providing an early hint of Audi’s plans for an autonomous-capable model family from 2025, the Aicon featured a lounge-style interior, could park itself remotely and offered a theoretical range of 497 miles. 2018 PB 18 E-tron The PB 18 concept remains the closest Audi has come to producing a bona fide electric supercar. It was said to pack 764bhp, far eclipsing the current V10-powered R8, but company bosses have yet to give the green light for a production version. 2019 AI:ME Like the ‘sphere’ concepts, the AI:ME examined how advanced autonomy will change car design, but here with more of a focus on shared urban mobility. Roughly similar in size to the existing A3, the AI:ME prioritised manoeuvrability and interior space. 2021 A6 E-tron The A6 E-tron, as…

SINCE THE ORIGINAL Golf GTI, Volkswagen has used red to mark out performance models, a theme which continues in the EV age with the red details on the ID 4 GTX. “The colour has a strong symbolism: red is blood, red is fire,” said colour and trim designer Mareike Hackbarth. “It triggers feelings of activity, energy and a zest for life. This makes red the perfect brand colour to use for performance models.” We will overlook the fact the R division’s trademark colour is Lapiz Blue. COULD AUDI BE considering a follow-up to the hot S1 supermini? RS3 product boss Marcel-Alexander Hübner said the RS3 will remain the smallest RS model for the foreseeable future, because below that “we only have the A1 right now”. That suggests a future B-segment…

AUDI HAS STARTED taking orders for the new RS3 ahead of customer deliveries beginning in November. The hatchback and saloon are now available from £50,900 and £51,900 respectively. Each offers 395bhp from a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, while enhanced dynamics come courtesy of a new torque splitter system, which can be configured in a dedicated Drift mode. Four specifications are available. Above the entry level standard spec sits Carbon Black, which features black and carbonfibre-finished trim elements and is priced from £55,550. The limited-run Launch Edition (of which only 96 examples are UK-bound) is priced from £56,900 to account for its extra equipment and derestricted 174mph top speed, and the range-topping Vorsprung ticks nearly all the option boxes for £58,650. Customers can also specify the RS Dynamic pack from…

WITH A BAN on new petrol and diesel cars and heavy vehicles looming, construction machinery manufacturer and consummate innovator JCB thinks the writing is on the wall for diesel in plant machinery too. There’s a popular misconception that the impending sales bans apply to the internal combustion engine overall, but they don’t, which is why JCB is convinced a switch to hydrogen-fuelled engines is the way forward for its machines over five tonnes. The British company’s philosophy is straightforward: the easiest way to achieve zero carbon is to have no carbon in the fuel. Engineers have reached a stage where they are confident that zero tailpipe emissions are achievable, so no CO2, no HC and no NOx, just power, water and heat. One of the biggest challenges they face, in…

SATURDAY We car lovers are having a helluva summer. The Covid concertina effect on dates has ensured there’s a blockbuster motoring event every day of every weekend for the foreseeable future. I was delighted to be at an important one at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, the ‘25th+1’ anniversary celebrations for the MG F, a car ignored for far too long. I spent a cheery half-hour chatting publicly about it with Nick Fell (chief project engineer), David Knowles (who wrote the book) and Denis Chick (who ran the 1995 press launch). The technical recipe for the F – lightweight K-series engine, transverse mid-mounted powertrain, spacious cockpit yet compact exterior, Rover Metro subframes carrying supple Hydragas suspension, pretty Gerry McGovern styling – still makes a desirable roadster today. No wonder…

“The SQ5 can’t match the instant shove of an EV, but it still has impressive thrust” They might not seem the most natural fit, but for the past few years, Audi has been making the combination of ‘performance’ and ‘diesel’ work across much of its S-badged line-up. And while the SQ7 and SQ8 have since swapped back to petrol, the ever-popular SQ5 retains its allegiance to the black pump. The mid-size SUV received a host of visual and tech-focused upgrades late last year to coincide with the arrival of the coupé-inspired Sportback variant, including a more aggressive bodykit (which retained at least some of the subtlety of the standard car), new OLED tail-lights that illuminate differently based on the active driving mode and, inside the cabin, Audi’s latest-generation infotainment system.…

It’s a simple proposition: the cheapest way into Polestar ownership. Step forward the 2 Standard Range Single Motor. Not for Polestar some overly complicated nomenclature, then. Quite the opposite: this car states its case with stark pragmatism. With the model’s launch, Polestar has taken the number of variants of the 2 to, er, three: this one, plus a Long Range Single Motor (335 miles of range) and the Long Range Dual Motor (298 miles). Here the battery is still floor-mounted, but rather than the Long Range’s 78kWh, the Standard Range gets 64kWh, which equates to a respectable 273 miles. Still, with a 221bhp electric motor powering the front wheels, our test car can manage 0-62mph in 7.4sec, aided in no small part by a significant weight advantage: it’s 173kg lighter…

ALFA ROMEO TONALE We should finally see Alfa Romeo’s compact SUV next year. ICE and plug-in hybrid options are coming. ALPINA B4 The B4 is likely to be based on the 4 Series Gran Coupé rather than the two-door. It’ll get the B3’s 462bhp turbocharged six. ALPINA B8 Twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 with 616bhp and 590lb ft, Alpina’s legendary handling, 20-spoke wheels… What’s not to like? ASTON VALKYRIE Adrian Newey’s F1-style road car has been a long time coming. Recent passenger rides suggest the wait will have been worth it. AUDI E-TRON New batteries, more efficient motors and better energy recuperation. Upshot? A longer range, approaching 373 miles. BMW 2 SERIES COUPE New coupé gets both RWD and 4WD options. An M240i with 369bhp will tide us over until the full-fat…

ASTON MARTIN DB11 EV Aston Martin boss Tobias Moers says an electric sports coupé will be built in the UK from 2025, with positioning similar to that of the Vantage and DB11. FERRARI PUROSANGUE Maranello wants its first SUV to be a ‘proper’ Ferrari. A V12 is on the cards alongside a V6 hybrid, and anti-roll trickery will help it handle like a 2+2 GT. OPEL MANTA-E The Manta is being reborn – but as an electric SUV, of course. The futuristic ‘Manta-e’ will provide the firm with a rival to the Volkswagen ID 4. VOLKSWAGEN TRINITY The Trinity will showcase VW’s nextgen EVs with autonomous tech and a new software set to transform the way owners spec and upgrade their cars.…

FISKER OCEAN The Ocean SUV is the key offering from Henrik Fisker’s second crack at an EV start-up. Look beyond the hype and there is good reason to believe it can succeed, not least because of the deals Fisker has secured with proven firms such as Magna, which is set to handle European production. Expect to see the Ocean here in the UK in 2023 – if all goes to plan. LYNK&CO 01 New Chinese brand Lynk&Co, part of the Geely Group alongside Volvo, has found success in its home country and is now targeting European expansion. The 01 SUV will be key to that and should arrive in the UK next year. GENESIS G70 SHOOTING BRAKE Hyundai’s premium brand is aiming high with the G70 Shooting Brake. The G80…

MAZDA 6 Rear-driven executive saloon and estate pair are set to push upmarket, challenging the BMW 3 Series with a new straight six. MERCEDES EQE SUV Using the same underpinnings, batteries and motors as the EQE saloon, this EV equivalent to the GLE will take on Tesla’s Model X. MERCEDES-AMG EQS Mercedes’ first bespoke EV is a 420-mile luxury limo that really impressed us; now it’s getting a 500bhp-plus sporty version. MG E-MOTION Well-received 2017 concept for MG’s return to its roots with a sports coupé (albeit an electric one) is now nearing production. NISSAN X-TRAIL Qashqai’s big brother will follow it in gaining a newer platform, a sharp new suit and Nissan’s new ePower range-extender set- PININFARINA BATTISTA Legendary Italian design house becomes a manufacturer with a £1.7m electric…

SKODA ENYAQ COUPE Love ’em or hate ’em, coupé-SUVs are here to stay, and now Skoda is jumping on the trend with a rakish version of its EV. SMART HX11 This electric-only SUV will be the Smart brand’s largest model to date, similar in size to the Mini Countryman. TESLA MODEL S PLAID Tri-motor saloon promises sub-2.0sec 0-62mph time, 200mph and 500-mile range. No wonder Tesla cancelled the Plaid+… TESLA ROADSTER Hypercar claims a 250mph top speed and a range of 620 miles, which would be record-breaking for a production EV. TOYOTA AYGO X The Aygo city car has been turned into a rugged but still tiny crossover that Toyota says will “reinvent the A-segment”. VAUXHALL ASTRA Penultimate Vauxhall to move to a Stellantis platform car gets the brand’s new-look…

This isn’t a review, which is handy, because it means I can get one slightly awkward truth out of the way straight off the bat: the Lada Niva is not – objectively and with full view of today’s automotive market – an easy car to recommend to anyone. That might not surprise you, given it has been on sale mostly unaltered since 1977 and its positioning as a no-frills workhorse means it has never, nor will ever be, the recipient of the efficiency-enhancing and refinement-boosting upgrades that we’ve long taken for granted on new cars across the board. It trades instead mostly (and to great effect) on its affordability, durability and unstoppability. But time marches on, and now, almost half a century since the final Niva prototype was deemed ready…

After years of decline, the proportion of young drivers holding a driving licence is increasing. Analysis by the RAC Foundation of official data shows that 46% of young men (aged 17-24 years old) had a full driving licence at the end of 2019, compared with 43% at the end of 2016. For young women, the percentage had risen from 41% to 44% in the same period. For youngsters considering obtaining their first provisional licence, a driving experience on a closed circuit can, claim the organisers, help boost confidence ahead of their first on-road lesson and improve road safety. YOUNG DRIVER youngdriver.eu Founded in 2009, the company has delivered more than a million driving experiences and lessons to young drivers at 70 sites across the UK. From £39.99 for half an…

It may not be a tourist destination up there with the Maldives, but if you’re into motorsport, Belgium is a great place to head in August (or rather, it would be if its borders weren’t closed to us…). The tiny nation has just held the marquee 24-hour race of the GT season, coming up is the Ypres Rally and then at the end of the month comes the Belgian Grand Prix. These three diverse events all have one thing in common: Spa-Francorchamps. Yes, Spa is around 165 miles from Ypres and doesn’t exactly have a rallying heritage; but the track and its surroundings will host four special stages of the Ypres Rally on the final day, including the points-paying seven-mile Power Stage. Sunday’s stages are an intriguing mix of classic…

28 August 1969 WHAT WERE THE organisers of the Liège-Sofia-Liège to do when their road rally became no longer feasible in 1965? Their answer was an 84-hour endurance test at the Nürburgring – not just the Nordschleife but the full 17.6-mile, 187-turn (yes, really) Gesamtstrecke. When we visited in 1969, a maximum lap time of 24 minutes was dictated and any repair stops in the pits cost a lap penalty a minute. The field was strong: Alfa Romeo, BMC, BMW, Daf, Datsun, Fiat, Ford, Lancia, Mazda, Mercedes, Porsche, Renault and Volvo were all represented, while Juan Manuel Fangio came from Argentina to oversee a three-car IKA Torino team. As if racing for days on an extremely long, very fast, tree-lined course in the dark weren’t daunting enough, the 1am Wednesday…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com Price battle I recently had the misfortune for one of the injectors to fail in my Mk6 Volkswagen Golf. The AA attended and explained that a new injector could be fitted but that it was very expensive, at £595. As I needed the car for regular visits to hospital for my wife, I agreed and it was fitted and paid for. I then checked the price of a new injector with my local Volkswagen dealer and was quoted £250 including VAT! When I complained to the AA, they stated that they shop around for the best prices, the price was correct and they considered the matter closed. I understand that when I have a part fitted, I must pay for the part, but I consider this a…

QUESTION I want an SUV to tackle farm tracks. I’m worried about the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s reliability, so would a used Japanese or Korean SUV be a good alternative? John Whitehouse, via email ANSWER The Ssangyong Rexton is well equipped and features a 2.2-litre diesel engine that drives all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox. It has an old-school ladder-frame chassis, but this brings benefits off road. The warranty lasts five years, so a 52,000-mile 2018 Ultimate auto for £24,000 is still covered. JE QUESTION I bought a 2016 Renault Zoe six months ago. It’s due a service, but I’m concerned that independent garages don’t understand EVs. Who might service it? Grace Clark, via email ANSWER Independent garages will have to grasp the EV nettle…

Family chariot, supercar slayer and removal van: the RS6 Avant is an outstandingly complete car. However, its thuggish looks shout ‘Audi driver!’. If that bothers you and you can accept a slight practicality compromise, there’s always the sleeker and more understated RS7 Sportback. It sits on the same platform as the RS6 and runs the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre petrol V8, which produces 553bhp or, in the Performance version, 597bhp. When new, the RS7 cost around £8000 more than the RS6; but on the used market today, prices are about the same. This is despite there being many more RS6s to choose from. Like for like, Performance versions of the RS7 are around £3000 more expensive than regular models. Our featured RS7 was registered in 2014 and has since covered 53,000…

A road test in any other magazine might well be a short, subjective summary of a new car produced under almost any circumstances, but the Autocar road test is different. Specific, rigorous and detailed, it’s the closest examination we can give of any new model. It appears over at least eight pages and is close to 50 man-hours in the making every week. Most of what the road test process entails is designed to be strictly repeatable and fair. We benchmark standing-start and in-gear acceleration at a purpose-built test facility every week. We carry out both subjective and objective handling tests on both road and track, on the latter up to and beyond the limit of grip, so as to fully assess stability, drivability and limit handling appeal. And while…

MOST CAR ENTHUSIASTS will be at least aware of Hispano Suiza, but how about Hispano Alemán? When Autocar visited the 1976 Barcelona motor show, we found this company’s stand replete with a trio of Mallorca models, which looked suspiciously Seven-like. “They seem to somehow have inherited a set of Lotus body moulds and used them to clothe a new chassis with the Seat 1800 engine,” we explained. Next to these was a new coupé, dubbed the Castilla, which in turn was “clearly based on the Lotus Europa, though with a new four-headlamp front end, different bumper treatment and a rear wing.” Hispano Alemán had been set up in 1970 by a Spanish car importer of German origin, Bernhard Heiderich, at first to create prettier, fibreglass bodies for existing sporting cars.…

GOT A STORY? Email our news editor felix.page@haymarket.com Audi has given the first glimpse of its next generation design language with the unveiling of the Skysphere concept, which hints at a future electric roadster. The new machine, revealed at the Monterey Car Week in Pebble Beach, California, is the first of three ‘sphere’ EV concepts that the German manufacturer will present over the coming months. The Grandsphere, which previews the forthcoming ‘Landjet’ A8 successor, will be shown at September’s Munich motor show and the Urbansphere will come in 2022. The Skysphere is an electric two-door convertible that was developed around the principles of Level 4 autonomy, which means the car can drive unaided on roads equipped with the necessary infrastructure. Gael Buzyn, the head of Audi’s Malibu design studio, led…

Morgan has shocked its supporters and much of the sports car world by launching a £200,000 limited-edition off-road version of its Plus Four roadster, dubbed the CX-T, which is “designed explicitly for overland adventure”. The car has a three-fold purpose, according to design chief Jon Wells, who has harboured a desire to produce an off-road Morgan for years. Firstly, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate the strength and rigidity of the new CX monocoque platform that underpins both the new generation Plus Four and Plus Six models. Secondly, it pays homage to the historic durability of Morgan cars, demonstrated in extensive endurance trialling victories in the 112-year-old company’s earliest days. And thirdly, it recognises the fact that many Morgan owners have tackled “extraordinary adventures” even in their standard models. The CX-T…

Dacia is striving to ensure the Duster SUV flagship remains true to its affordable and capable billing as the firm expands and electrifies its product line-up under parent company Groupe Renault’s ‘Renaulution’ transformation strategy. Speaking exclusively to Autocar following the brand’s recent reveal of its freshly updated Nissan Juke rival, Duster product boss Julien Ferry emphasised that the current model’s successor must be “the same” car. “Its role in the company is to provide a very good price- to-feature ratio,” he said. “It has to address these customers who are looking for a simple car which can go off-road.” Ferry emphasised that the Duster’s off-road ability will be a priority for the current model’s successor. The outgoing 4x4 version of the Duster is one of the cheapest four-wheel-drive SUVs on…

“Probably the closest thing you can make to a battery cell in the UK at the moment is a KitKat.” It’s an eye-widening comparison from Steve Doyle, CEO of Evera Recruitment, and it illustrates the extent to which the automotive industry is being shaken up: if a car maker wants to attract the best talent in its push towards electrification, it needs to look at food processing engineers. In its constituent parts, the analogy starts to make sense. “I broke the production line down into pieces and looked at the lithium powder mixing section,” explains Doyle. “And I realised that’s very similar to what Nestlé is doing with its KitKat line. Then I looked at the coating section, which is really similar to something that’s going on in the printing…

SUBSCRIBE TODAY Subscribe to Autocar and you will get access to the exclusive benefits of Subscriber Extra. These include being the first to read Richard Bremner’s Not Quite A Classic column every month and this August’s relaunch of our weekly email newsletters, where Autocar’s editors take you behind the scenes of the magazine. Scan the QR code for a taster. SAVE 50% DISCOUNTS Exclusive discounts from carefully selected partners COMPETITIONS Subscriber-only competitions WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS Exclusive content in weekly newsletters SUBSCRIBEREVENTS Access to exclusive subscriber-only events WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER GREAT TITLES? View all of our offers on themagazineshop.com DON’T MISS OUR SUMMER SALE FIRST 13 ISSUES FOR £24.49 Visit autocar.co.uk/subscribe or call 0344 848 8807 and quote promotional code SS21PA08 TERMS AND CONDITIONS: This is a UK-only offer; for…

The pace of Volkswagen’s electric vehicle push continues to gain momentum, as evidenced by the new ID 5. This SUV-coupé arrives hot on the heels of the ID 3 family hatchback and the ID 4 SUV, on which it’s largely based. It’s a sibling car to the Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback and Skoda Enyaq iV, alongside which it will be produced at Volkswagen’s dedicated EV factory in Zwickau, Germany, from early 2022. Currently in the final stages of development, the third bespoke EV from Volkswagen was by all accounts set to be called the ID 4 Coupé. But in a move aimed at providing it with a higher perceived positioning than its slightly more versatile sibling, officials ultimately decided that it should take the ID 5 name instead. Make of…

The march of the SUV continues. First BMW and Mercedes-Benz chopped the back off their regular models and called them SUV-coupés, and now it’s the turn of Renault with this, the Arkana. It certainly looks good enough, mixing Renault’s latest front-end styling with a jacked-up ride height and a sloping rear boot to good effect. It’s equally impressive inside, with a neat body-coloured flash running all the way around the front cabin. Build quality seems good, and the mix of physical buttons (for the climate control) and 9.3in portrait touchscreen is effective. Importantly, rear head and leg room aren’t too compromised. You have to duck to get in, but once you’re inside, it’s roomy enough. The boot is pretty deep and runs to 513 litres but lacks height, despite a…

Even with the less grippy of two available tyre compounds fitted, the new GT3 set a benchmark lap time around our dry handling circuit more than a second quicker than even the mighty, 691bhp 991-generation 911 GT2 RS managed in 2018. This is a searingly rapid circuit car. It still handles like a traditional 911 at the limit of grip, though. You manage the position of the front axle and juggle the rear mass with trail-braking and throttle loading to keep the chassis pointing where you want. But it has huge lateral grip; apparently imperturbable body control on smooth Tarmac; and brilliant chassis balance blended with high-speed stability all of an order not known to any road-legal fast 911 until now. The steering is quicker and feels feistier than you…

PORSCHE MACAN If you thought the Taycan was an important model for Porsche, it’s nothing compared with the significance of the all-electric Macan. Stuttgart’s baby SUV is absolutely the firm’s bread and butter in combustion form, so it has to succeed as an EV. Related to the current Macan by little more than its name, the battery-powered version will feature slimmed-down headlights and a lower roofline, and it goes without any physical grille. Inside, the changes will be more dramatic: the conventional gearstick has been ditched, while large touchscreens dominate, as in the Taycan. The electric Macan will be four-wheel drive, and the most powerful version could offer around 700bhp and 750lb ft. Less powerful models will be offered in time, with the roll-out following a similar strategy to that…

BMW M2 COUPE “It’s still puristic, a driver’s car, but with a broader spread of characteristics and a greater divide between comfort and sport than we’ve seen up to now.” We were already getting pretty excited about the new M2 Coupé, but that little teaser from a BMW insider who has already driven the car has really got us chomping at the bit. Upgrades for the second-gen M2 will bring it closer to its M3 and M4 siblings, with which it will share the twin-turbocharged S58 3.0-litre straight six that produces around 430bhp in top-rung Competition guise. They meant ‘driver’s car’, too: a six-speed manual gearbox will be an option and drive will be sent exclusively rearwards. BMW M3 TOURING The M3 estate is finally happening. It’s still under wraps,…

NISSAN ARIYA AND RENAULT MEGANE E-TECH ELECTRIC The pioneering Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf have given the Franco-Japanese Alliance partners a major head start in the mainstream electric vehicle race – but rivals are catching up, and they’re doing it fast. In response, the two firms have worked on the new CMF-EV platform to underpin their larger EVs, and the Mégane E-Tech Electric and Ariya are set to become the first machines to be built on it. Both share a range of batteries and powertrains, offering up to 310 miles of range and single-motor reardrive and twin-motor 4WD versions respectively, but the machines show the different approaches of each firm. With a new name of Ariya and modern, bold styling, the Nissan reveals a new design language; by contrast, in…

NEW FORMULA 1 F1 will get new rules next year to increase overtaking. We’re not sold on the looks, but we’re up for anything that will improve the on-track action. FORD PUMA RALLY1 WRC goes hybrid next year. We want to see the GR Yaris-based rally car, but the big surprise is M-Sport switching from the Ford Fiesta to Puma crossover. PEUGEOT 9X8 Peugeot’s hybrid hypercar will arrive next year to challenge the Toyota GR010 Hybrid at Le Mans. The wingless design adds variety to the LMH class. FORD MUSTANG Nascar will introduce its next-gen car next year. It’s still a spec chassis, but new rules mean the cars will look more like their road-going versions. AUDI RS Q E-TRON A 671bhp petrol-electric range-extending SUV conceived and built to tackle…

Forget the pandemic: we hadn’t even voted on Brexit when the revival of TVR first came to light. Yet still just one Griffith V8 prototype has been built, there’s “chunky” engineering work still to do, the factory is nowhere near opening and significant investment is still being sought. Looking at the positives, TVR has hired an experienced new CEO, has designed a car that stays true to the brand’s values and holds more than £40m worth of deposits. But radio silence for the past year suggests that a launch isn’t imminent.…

24 HOURS OF LE MANS The most famous endurance race is a staple of any motorsport fan’s calendar. It’s now in its 89th year, and you can watch it from 21-22 August – even at the track itself, travel restrictions permitting. GOODWOOD REVIVAL Got a taste for retro motoring? This three-day historic racing weekend from 17-19 September recreates classic motor racing glamour and even encourages punters to visit in period dress. LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERAN CAR RUN Historic car run is the oldest in the world and this year’s, on 7 November, marks the 125th anniversary of the original ‘Emancipation Run’ of 1896. GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Europe’s biggest motor show looks set to return in a slightly altered form in 2022, after its past two editions were cancelled as a…

In its home market, the Niva is sold under the suitably no-nonsense 4x4 moniker – the result of a long and complex name-swapping deal between Lada’s owner and General Motors, of all companies. In 2001, before its acquisition by the Renault Group, Avtovaz established a 50:50 partnership with the American conglomerate to produce the largely unrelated Chevrolet Niva SUV and, briefly, the Vauxhall Astra-based Chevrolet Viva. The former remains on sale but, following the departure of GM from the arrangement in 2019, is now sold with Lada badging. It was only earlier this year that Avtovaz reclaimed the Niva name for its 45-year-old off-roader. Simplicity restored, right? Not quite: with the Avtovaz-GM jointventure now dissolved, production of the ex-Chevrolet model is being taken care of in Russia, and it’s called……

Inside London’s Excel exhibition centre, fireworks are going off and there are cheers of joy as Alex Lynn and Mahindra Racing celebrate an unlikely Formula E race victory. But just a few feet away, the atmosphere inside the DS Techeetah garage is far more subdued. Eventually the silence is broken by the voice of driver Jean-Éric Vergne on the car-to-pit radio. “This race was a pure joke,” he says. “I’m ashamed to see this type of racing. I’m in shock, honestly.” A few moments later, Vergne (known as Jev) pulls his battle-scarred single-seater into the pits and clambers out, making a circling cuckoo gesture with his finger. It’s a stark contrast to the buoyant, hopeful mood in the same pit a little over five hours earlier. Autocar was given access…

I read with dismay Nick Smith’s critical letter about Alfa Romeo dealers in the UK (14 July). I’m now running my second Giulia Veloce, e, which is an excellent car that’s rightly praised by the automotive media. I bought my first as a used 18-month-old car and my second new from my local Alfa Romeo dealer, Alexanders in Stockton-on-Tees. Both cars have been paragons of reliability. The second is the facelifted car and has received suitably subtle enhancements to its cockpit and the driving. The dealer has been truly excellent. The preparation of the car when I collected it was immeasurably better than that of the new Audi S3 I bought and rejected recently. The dealership itself is smart and far more welcoming than BMW dealers I’ve used in the…

MILEAGE 1244 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To discover if this revamped crossover can excite in a congested class Having preached gospel about the Mokka’s styling, it’s time to move on to the mechanicals. The 129bhp 1.2-litre turbo engine has served well on longer-distance runs and confidently laughs in the face of motorways. At 70mph it’s quiet, composed and comfortable, yet willing to overtake if necessary. Country driving is a mixed bag. It’s still a reasonably comfortable car for the most part, but the low-speed ride is shaky on uneven surfaces – perhaps a consequence of those admittedly great-looking 18in wheels. At least the seats keep you nicely in place. The Mokka’s automatic gearbox doesn’t take particularly kindly to city traffic. Driving in London is stressful at the best of times,…

MILEAGE 81,501 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF This is a two-vehicle update. Just to let you know that the Golf’s windscreen crack went on the move, as they often do. It happened overnight, and the good news is that you no longer have to book an appointment at an inconveniently located centre; they do home/work visits again. Anyway, it will be fixed next week. Meanwhile, The Baby Shark has gone AWOL: it went in for an MOT and hasn’t come back. I authorised a stainless-steel upgrade to the exhaust, then got very busy and probably became a bit terrified that perhaps a few more expensive things need fixing. I will find out soon.…

mall SUVs may not be everyone’s cup of tea, S but they’ve gone from strength to strength. With their funky looks, compact size and low running costs, it’s not hard to see why they’re so popular. The C3 Aircross is Citroën’s offering in this class. With chunky styling and off-roader-inspired accessories, including roof bars and extra black plastic body cladding, it’s a tough-looking and desperately cute little thing that neatly superseded the boxy, MPV-like C3 Picasso. The engine options start with an 82bhp 1.2-litre petrol, then get more exciting with two turbocharged 1.2-litre petrols that make 108bhp and 128bhp. There are also two 1.5-litre diesel offerings, producing 99bhp and 118bhp. Post-2020 models give you three engines to choose from: the same 1.2-litre turbo petrols plus an updated 1.5-litre diesel with…

ALFA ROMEO BRERA 1750 TBi The 1750 TBi version of the Brera replaced the 3.2 V6 and was in production for only 12 months, making this example that sold at auction recently for £7400 a rare thing. For some, the 3.2 S Prodrive is the better car, but with 197bhp and 236lb ft torque on tap, the 1750 TBi has to be up there. Its name recalls famous Alfas of old, but although the engine is impressive, the car itself feels a little flat-footed. It works best as a long-distance cruiser, but if that’s not enough for its new owner, they can always just park up, step out and just gaze at it.…

Aced by the RS4 below it and the RS6 above, the S6 of 2006-2011 never really had its day. It was neither as fun to drive nor as well resolved as its more desirable rangemates, so it melted into the background as just a regular Audi saloon that happened to have a V10 engine under its bonnet. Still, who doesn’t like a big German autobahn crusher, even if the simplest mechanical repair is likely to bankrupt them? The S6 cost £55,000 new, but today you can pick up an early, high-mileage example from £7000 – not that we’d recommend doing so without first having it inspected by an expert. Crumbling intake manifolds, coked-up valves (it’s a common issue with Audi’s direct-injection FSI engines), leaky exhausts and other traps await the…

What was the brief for the Skysphere? “There were no real requirements. I call it a blank cheque: we were free to express our vision of an answer for Level 4 autonomy. The PB18 E-tron inspired us a little in the sense we created a very specific experience with that car, which was the future of the supercar. Here we wanted to explore the future of the grand tourer.” Why a grand tourer? “Grand tourers aim to offer the best of what the car world has to offer: the greatest luxury, the highest performance and the most beautiful styling. But how do you combine all those assets in one vehicle? Grand tourers often offer a compromised experience, and we wanted to show what an electric one could do.” Could this…

THE NEW PORSCHE 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25 is an exclusive and highly strung track day special created to mark the 25th anniversary of the Manthey Racing competition outfit. The model is based on the 991-generation 911 GT2 RS Clubsport from 2018 and features a bespoke livery inspired by ‘Grello’-Manthey’s brightly coloured green and yellow 911 GT3 R race car, which secured a seventh victory for the team at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in June. Just 30 will be built, priced from €525,000 (£447,000) before local taxes, with deliveries expected in January next year. Each will have an uprated 3.8-litre flat six engine, as used in the retro-look Porsche 935 track car of 2019, sending 690bhp to the rear axle through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Modifications aimed at enhanced…

FERRARI WILL FOLLOW up the launch of its new 296 GTB with a convertible model, and a production-ready prototype spotted last week suggests the reveal is only months away. In keeping with Ferrari’s model-naming traditions, the new convertible will likely be called the 296 GTS, arriving to join the Portofino M, F8 Spider, 812 GTS and SF90 Spider as the newest and final member of Maranello’s open-top line-up. The new Roma coupé isn’t expected to gain a convertible option, given its close mechanical relationship to the Portofino. Despite the test mule’s heavy camouflage, it can be seen that the drop-top 296 will look nearly identical to the already-revealed coupé when its roof is closed. The 296 GTB draws heavily on styling cues taken from the SF90 Stradale flagship, and the…

There’s concern that even if the UK keeps producing vehicles in the post-ICE age, it won’t have a big enough stake in the making of the battery cells that will power them. The SMMT says we need 60GWh of battery production by 2030, enough to produce one million EVs per year, and has accused the government of dragging its heels to help secure it. “If ambitious words were currency, the UK would indeed be rich,” SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said at the lobby group’s annual conference in June. The following month, however, came the first real investment. Britishvolt Britain’s EV battery start up company has ambitious plans to build a £2.6 billion gigafactory in Blyth, in the north-east of England, with a plan to produce 30GWh of cells by…

One of the good things about the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is the way it f lows down a bad road. Instead of pummelling and bashing along, our favourite sports saloon has a deftness and pliancy to the way it rides and steers. The excellent news is that, while in pursuit of more performance and engagement, the new limited-edition Giulia GTA, tested here on British roads for the first time, retains – spoiler alert – all of that appeal. This is a surprise. Here’s a Giulia given the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 or BMW M4 GTS treatment: the full send into raciness. It’s a 500-off limited run of turned-up, tuned-up super-saloon, available in either GTA form or, as tested here, as the even more hardcore GTAm. Buyers are reportedly…

While the Ceed lags behind the Sportage and Niro in sales terms, the Europe-designed and built C-segment hatchback has long been a symbol of Kia’s intent to become a true equal to mainstream European firms. The Korean manufacturer has undoubtedly achieved that in recent years, with new models featuring bold styling and cutting-edge tech. And so, in a way, the aim of this midlife facelift for the Ceed feels as much about trying to keep pace with the rest of Kia’s own range as it is about matching rivals. As a result, the third-generation Ceed has received design changes to bring it in line with the firm’s latest design trends (which include Kia’s new logo), as well as a smattering of new interior technology and driver assistance systems. The Ceed’s…

MODEL TESTED GT3 PDK Price £127,820 Power 503bhp Torque 347lb ft 0-60mph 3.4sec 30-70mph in fourth 7.2sec Fuel economy 20.2mpg CO2 emissions 294g/km 70-0mph 40.8 m The Porsche 911 GT3 still feels like a recent development in the near-six-decade history of the sports car on which it’s based. But what a reputation it has carved out for itself since Weissach’s very first, 996-generation GT3 homologation special emerged in 1999. There might not be a more sought-after performance derivative anywhere else in motordom than this. The GT3 has become the kind of car that dealers get allocated in mere handfuls; that are offered to only the most favoured customers; that are collectable like little else at the price; and to which the normal rules of depreciation, which usually make cars like…

Porsche’s track-day icon has just taken a bigger notional leap than many will realise. It’s not a leap into the unknown, because the firm has sold cars like this for decades. But fast 911s of anything like this hardcore character and track purpose have previously been very low-volume, ultra-high-end productions indeed. This one has all the visceral rawness and supercar-baiting agility we associate with the GT3 RS but comes without the model su­x – or the hiked-up price. Fast and unfiltered, bristling and busy, super-agile and immersive, the GT3 can be wonderful when you’re in the mood for it. It’s nothing short of spectacular in its intended environment. And yet it doesn’t have the duality we’re used to from a GT3. These cars have, for the past decade or so…

CADILLAC LYRIQ The first Cadillac EV promises a 300-mile range. It’s the modern-day Escalade for the eco-conscious hip hop mogul. FORD MAVERICK US’s first hybrid pick-up uses an electrified 2.5-litre four that will manage 500 miles between fills and charges. GMC HUMMER EV GM says its 819bhp, 1000lb ft reborn electric behemoth – a Hummer that hums – should have a 300-mile range. NISSAN 400Z The 400Z has big boots to fill. Set to use a twin-turbo V6, it should offer around 400bhp, driving just the rear wheels. SUBARU IMPREZA WRX The new WRX is likely to use the same 2.4-litre boxer engine as the new BRZ, another US-only Subaru model.…

CHEVROLET CORVETTE Don’t order that 911 just yet. Chevy is officially sending us the Corvette for the first time, and it wants just over £80,000. CITROEN C5X Is it a saloon? An SUV? An estate? All three, Citroën says, hoping that its new flagship will appeal to buyers of each. DACIA LODGY A cut-price seven-seater to rival today’s van-based MPVs. The Lodgy will share its platform and engines with the Sandero. FORD FIESTA The Vauxhall Corsa is giving the Fiesta a hard time in the sales charts; some mid-life tweaks should spark fresh appeal. FORD FOCUS A smaller front grille, slimmer headlights and new bumpers will keep the Focus in contention for family car supremacy. FORD E-TRANSIT One of the most important EVs due next year, the E-Transit will offer…

JEEP ENTRY MODEL Stellantis’s platform synergy will be key to production of this long-awaited entry-level Jeep crossover. Details to follow. JEEP WRANGLER 4xE Off-road classic gets a 370bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain. Electric torque should be a real boost in the tough stuff. KIA EV6 This new electric crossover is Kia’s version of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. Offers a 328-mile range along with its bold new styling. KIA NIRO Second-generation crossover will arrive next year with styling based on the amusingly named HabaNiro concept. KIA SPORTAGE Popular SUV gets a dramatic makeover. Europe-specific model is being developed to better suit UK roads. LAMBORGHINI URUS PHEV It won’t adorn many bedroom walls, but this large electrified SUV should be a sales smash. LAND ROVER DEFENDER 130 XL SUV will be key to US…

McLAREN ARTURA McLaren created an instant classic in its first plug-in hybrid, the P1 of 2013, which established it as without doubt a top-tier supercar maker. Yet its second PHEV is probably even more important to the firm’s prosperity, as the replacement for its core Sports Series and Super Series models. The first all-new ‘regular’ McLaren since the formative 12C, the Artura ditches the firm’s 4.0-litre V8 for a newly designed 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor (mounted within the eight-speed automatic gearbox) together producing 671bhp. And despite all the extra gear, it weighs just 27kg more than the 720S. This is largely thanks to its all-new, lighter carbonfibre tub structure – which is also stiffer than the old one one. All this means it can get to 60mph…

GMA T50 Described by creator Gordon Murray as “the purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever built”, the T50 is no less than the spiritual successor to his seminal McLaren F1. Just 100 examples of the ultra-light, mid-engined three-seater will be built and sold, at a price of around £2.8 million in the UK. The T50, so named because it’s the 50th car to be designed by Murray, weighs just 986kg, with a 650bhp naturally aspirated V12 from Cosworth that he claims gives a power-to-weight ratio equivalent to that of a ‘regular’ supercar with 950bhp under its wheels. And that’s not even the maddest part: it also uses an updated version of the downforce-boosting fan tech from Murray’s 1978 Brabham BT46B Formula 1 racer. MERCEDES-AMG ONE Hybrid hypercars are the order…

Flynn can’t believe his luck. Autocar’s photographer needs a picture of the 12-year-old at the wheel of the Vauxhall Corsa as he steers it around the driving route laid out at Kempton Park Racecourse in Sunbury, Surrey. The thing is, the lad has only just returned from doing the same thing – a gift from his dad, Steve, who bought the 30-minute driving experience offered by Young Driver, an organisation that offers 10-to-17-year-olds their first taste of driving in a dual-control car. In the company of a qualified instructor, Flynn and his fellow youngsters follow a route on a closed circuit marked out with cones and road signs and which, depending on the venue (there are 70 across the UK) might also feature a hill start and other technical challenges.…

Shock victory for Alpine and Ocon Esteban Ocon took a shock victory for Alpine from eighth on the grid in an action-packed Hungarian Grand Prix. It was the first win for a Renault-owned Formula 1 team since the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix and the first for the Enstone-based constructor since 2013, when it competed as Lotus. Ferrari and Red Bull want cost cap rethink Red Bull and Ferrari are pushing for changes to the new cost cap rules in Formula 1 after their cars were significantly damaged in clashes in the British and Hungarian grands prix. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has called for the team of a driver found responsible for an accident to pay for the other team’s damage. Rowbottom takes first BTCC victory Team Dynamics Honda Civic…

COMPARISON Britain’s Best Affordable Driver’s Car The very best pocket rockets on sale today head to Scotland for our annual shootout FEATURE E-fuels What are e-fuels, and do they have a future in cars? Jesse Crosse investigates FEATURE The Highway Code The ever-evolving bible doesn’t always say what you believe. We debunk the myths EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Skoda Enyaq iV Skoda’s first dedicated electric car gets the full eight pages MOTORSPORT Lawrence Stroll Aston Martin owner tells us his plan for delivering success in Formula 1 SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p22…

MILEAGE 7688 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Europe’s best-selling retail car lives up to our bullish road test claims The Sandero Stepway has been acquiring mileage hand over fist, for a couple of excellent reasons. First is our extra dependence nowadays on reporting-by-driving jobs around the country, rather than day trips via Heathrow to Germany or France (an excellent development, in my opinion). Second is the Stepway’s do-everything nature: it’s small enough to fit into tight traffic gaps and parking spaces suitable only for superminis, yet it’s roomy enough in the rear (partly because it’s taller) to accommodate full-size adults, with enough boot space for their stuff. Even if you have access to other cars, you tend to grab the Dacia because it’s convenient. Its cheerful and willing…

Jaguar XK60 It’s great to hear from Stuart about his continuing fund-raising efforts with yet another Jaguar. He says: “I bought this about four years ago from a garage in Basingstoke. It has done 65,000 miles and hasn’t cost me a penny. It’s an XK60 special edition with square tailpipes, and I had it wrapped in Rocketsport Racing Livery. I use it with my other XKs to raise funds for a children’s hospice, and with my driver friends we’ve raised more than £168,000 in four years. Sadly, during lockdown I managed only about £1200.”…

CITROEN C1 1.0 VTi 72 URBAN RIDE £1066 deposit, £177 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year A sibling of the Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo, the C1 has long been a leader in affordable urban motoring, although it asks a bigger deposit than some rivals. You should get some free insurance, tax and servicing, mind. KIA PICANTO 1.0 1 £927 deposit, £157 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The Picanto has long been one of our favourites in this class, vying for attention with its Hyundai i10 sibling. It has a roomy interior, good refinement and a class-leading seven-year warranty. It feels like a bigger car and is nicely equipped, even in its base 1 trim. TOYOTA AYGO 1.0 VVT-i X-PLAY £446 deposit, £148 per month,…

Suzuki Jimny 1.5 SZ5 Allgrip £26,000 The Jimny became a classic almost from the moment it was launched, and Suzuki dropping it soon after sent prices through the roof. The new van version without back seats hasn’t put the brakes on them, since it has almost sold out already. The priciest Jimny we’ve seen was £36,000, and there are many for £30,000. Does that make this 2018 car with 15,000 miles a bargain – especially as it’s the very car that found fame in 2018 lugging Autocar’s Christmas tree down from Scotland? Hmm… we would wait until the fever abates and prices soften.…

An expert’s view MARTIN ADAMS, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, UNIT 20 “The S6 is a very good car that suffered in the shadow of the RS6. Its 5.2-litre V10 is erroneously linked to the dry-sump V10s in the RS6 and Lamborghini Gallardo, but it shares little with them. It’s reliable but parts are expensive, meaning the ‘cheap’ S6 you find may not be so cheap to own. There are 10 spark plugs, 10 coil packs and 10 injectors, and the plugs alone cost £240. Each front brake disc costs around the same. Rust isn’t an issue but serious dings and dents can be expensive to sort. Interiors are robust and reliable but these cars are now up to 15 years old, so the tech is dated.” Buyer beware… ■ ENGINE Oil…

The Caterham Super Seven 1600 will make a feature appearance in the next mag. No spoilers, save to say it’s coming at you from Scotland. That’s not far from the north of England, but is quite a long way from Crawley, near Gatwick, from where a staffer had to collect the Seven before delivering it north of Perth. Reader, I was that staffer, because it was me who suggested we take the Seven. “I’m driving it to Scotland,” I told people, happily. You would think I had told them I was going to swim the Channel in my dressing gown. Small, noisy, too cold, too hot, too wet: that’s what people think of a Seven. But I’m going to make a case here that a Caterham is actually a good…